1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for reading in a data value, whereby the data value is entered by a user with a pointer actuator. The invention can be utilized in all devices and applications wherein a data input is required. For example, the invention can be employed in computers, terminals, automats (for example, ATMS), telecommunication devices and operating devices for the control of technical equipment. In particular, the inventive method is provided for utilization in nuclear magnetic resonance tomography systems that can be operated proceeding from the patient compartment (referred to as "in room" operation).
2. Description of the Prior Art
A keyboard is often provided for the entry of data into a technical device. This, however, is not always optimum in view of the user-friendliness, particularly given graphical user interfaces. Dependent on the field of application, it can also be less desirable to employ a keyboard for other reasons. For example, keyboards given publicly accessible devices must be designed in complicated, mechanically protected embodiment in order to prevent intentional or unintentional damage. Given the aforementioned applied example of "in room" operation of a nuclear magnetic resonance tomograph, a specific console that has no keyboard is utilized in order to avoid magnetic disturbances.
It is known in graphical user interfaces to enter numerical data with a pointer, for example a mouse, by graphically portrayed shift controllers or by up/down counting knobs ("spin buttons").
Given a shift controller, the numerical data value can be set between two extreme values by displacing a control button displayed on a picture screen, however, the space requirement on the picture screen is extremely high. Shift controllers are therefore often employed in two-stage input methods wherein a dialog window is initially opened with a first action and the value is then entered with a second action. Such two-stage methods are usually considered cumbersome by the user. An exact setting of the data value given shift controllers is also difficult or impossible when the value range is large, since even the smallest modifications in the position of the control button already cause relatively large skips of the input data value. The limits of the value range are permanently prescribed and cannot be modified with the shift controller.
Spin buttons are active picture screen areas that are typically combined with a display field for the current data value. The numerical data value is incremented by a predetermined step width given every mouse click on the up button and the data value is correspondingly diminished with every mouse click on the down button. Spin buttons, however, are not particularly practical when a data value is to be exactly set within a large value range. Dependent on the predetermined step width, namely, the data value can either be only roughly set (given a large step width) or it takes a long time (given a small step width) until the value range of the shift controller has been run through up to the desired data value.
PCT Application WO 95/04340 discloses a method and an apparatus for selecting a travel destination in a vehicle navigation system. The apparatus has a switch rocker with four contacts that are actuated by a user pressing on the upper, lower, right or left edge of the rocker. In a mode for entering a house number, a cursor is moved toward the right or left by actuating the right or left contact, and the numeral of the house number marked by the cursor can be incremented or reduced by actuating the upper or lower contact.
The article "Three-Dimensional Selection Widget" in IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, Vol. 38, No. 2, February 1995, page 423, discloses an operating element for graphical user interfaces. The operating element is reminiscent of a rotatable cylinder on whose surface different selection possibilities are indicated. The cylinder can be turned either by implementing a mouse motion transversely relative to the cylinder, or by a mouse click onto the upper or lower part of the cylinder.